The H1N1 virus, the first pandemic in 41 years, is proving to be more virulent than the seasonal flu, but the majority of people getting sick still are only experiencing mild illness, area epidemiologists said today.

“I would say that we should take this seriously. There is no need for panic,” Paul Kamitsuka, New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s infection control physician, said during a media briefing today at the hospital.

“What we’re looking for is the public to be aware of how to isolate themselves and how to prevent the spread of the virus because that’s still the main way of avoiding complications from it,” said Sam Spicer, the hospital’s vice president of medical affairs. “The other is to get vaccinated at the appropriate time and the appropriate place.”

I’m working on an article for tomorrow’s paper outlining some of the other advice the medical officials gave, including at what point people should go to the emergency department if they are feeling the symptoms, early feedback about how the H1N1 vaccine appears to be working and the impact of the nationwide shortage of vaccine doses.

Hope to have a full transcript up later so you can read what they are advising about any particular concerns you have.

Feel free to leave me comments, however, if you have any other concerns or questions about the virus or vaccine, and we’ll see if we can get some answers if they weren’t already covered in the briefing.

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We will do our best to help you plow through the confusing maze of health care and, along the way, sprinkle in some fitness ideas and ideas. We’ll also share interesting discoveries in health and medicine.